


On The Wire

by Bubblemage



Series: Archie/Riverdale verse [2]
Category: Archie Comics, Archie Comics & Related Fandoms, Riverdale (TV 2017)
Genre: ., Alternate Universe - Soulmates, F/M, Friends to Lovers, Soulmate-Identifying Marks, Star-crossed, angsty, hints at archiexbettyxveronica, the lover of my friend is my lover
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-09-25
Updated: 2017-09-25
Packaged: 2019-01-05 04:00:13
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,068
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12182487
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Bubblemage/pseuds/Bubblemage
Summary: "this isn't yours." the voice in his head would soothe, never in a malicious manner; but calm and clear.He always wondered who his soulmate would be; and sure he thought it would be betty, but seeing as she never uttered the words etched beneath his ribcage, he considered himself fairly shit out of luck.





	On The Wire

**Author's Note:**

> this draws inspiriation from the Archie comics, Riverdale, and some sappy shit. this is drabble series exploring the realm of soulmarks in my Archiverse, but it is JugheadXveronica and it'll move through their highschool lives and onward as i mess around with this.
> 
> kinda messing around with the idea of soulmarks in this universe and how the characters would fit.

“Our souls are going to fall apart any second now”

 

Soul marks weren't rare and they weren't exactly uncommon; everyone learned to live with or without them. Some people finding their soulmates and others making due with their own steadfast choices in the realm of love. It wasn't uncommon to enter a relationship with someone with a soul mark, but it was difficult all the same.

Jughead remembers the drunk ramblings of his father from years back; about how Jughead's mother had a soulmate but never found them and so they'd embarked on their own journey of love and starting a family when her soulmate had quite literally dropped into their lives. FP had graciously taken a step back, offering to leave the family for his wife to live her life of happiness with her soulmate. But instead, she'd snuck off into the night leaving a nine-year-old Jughead with his father.

There was something about having the knowledge that your lover would leave you for their intended that spurred Jughead into straying from romantic relationships; avoiding them like the plague.  
  
He’d considered himself above petty feelings like love; knowing that such a thing couldn't really be real if the universe seemed to always want to intervene. And yet he’d found himself slowly but surely falling head over heels for one Elizabeth Cooper.  
  
He promised himself that he would never fall in love, but it was three in the morning, and her laughter reminded him of bells and happiness. She was laughing far too hard at some joke Archie had been trying to get out between his own bouts of laughter, and they were squished together in a booth at Pops and it was the first time he’d really felt happy.  
  
And in that moment, he knew he was screwed.

But the universe didn't let anyone out unscathed, and at the beginning of his final summer at Riverdale-High Jughead had woken up with neat script dusting the skin under his ribcage, and he'd promptly died inside.

Had the universe really felt the need to intervene in his life when it’d already severely fucked it up?

  
Betty knew Jughead didn't have the fondest opinions of those with soulmarks, but she appreciated the way he’d kept his mouth shut when Archie had called them both into the diner the day before their final school year started to gush about his own soul mark forming. He’d done the sensible thing and not say was written on his skin, but that didn't stop him from practically pulling down his pants to show them the writing that was on his lower stomach.  
  
“Did it hurt?” Betty had asked, leaning across the table to get a better look at the writing despite the fact Archie had a majority of the word hidden beneath his hand.  
  
“It burned. Like when you touch the seat belt in the middle of summer heat kind of burn. It was suddenly burning and then just as quick as it started it stopped.” He shrugged then and dropped his shirt back down to cover himself. Betty pursed her lips slightly but sank back into her seat.  
  
“Why, you jelly?” Betty found herself scoffing and tossed a fry toward him.  
  
“I’ll have you know that soulmarks don't mean anything. Not all of them are romantic. Some are platonic. Maybe that's what that one is.” She easily stated than with a wave of her hand before taking her spoon and digging into the brownie sundae that was melting before her.  
  
Archie couldn't find it in himself to argue with her, because as usual Betty was right. Platonic soulmarks were eerily common and were usually just formed to help someone through a difficult time in their life. His own parents were a platonic soulbond, and despite the fact they got married and Divorced; they were still the best of friends as far as he could tell.  
  
“Arent your parents a soulbond?” Archie asked then. Betty had been mid-mouthful when she nodded.  
  
“Yep.” she’d easily said then, a little bit of fudge dribbling past her lips before she quickly wiped it away. Some still manage to drip onto the overalls she was wearing; the chocolate not sticking out among the oil splatters and dirt that decorated it.

 

“Soulbonds don't mean anything either. My parents still fight like everyone else, but i guess knowing the universe made them for each other makes making up a little easier.” Jughead kept this mind as he took a bite from his burger.  
  
He hopes his soulmark is only platonic, that maybe this person will only be around to help get to a better state in life before fucking off to continue their own. Huffing, Jughead reached for his glass of soda and took several gulps of it before returning to his burger.  
  
“You know, with the way you hate soulmarks and everything related to them, I wouldn't be shocked if the universe decided you needed one for being so cynical.” Archie said before taking a fry from Jughead’s plate and tossing it into his own mouth. Betty looked torn between retorting and nodding her head, but she’d settled on shrugging instead.  
  
“There are tons of studies done on soulmarks and soulbonds everyday Archie. Its proven not all of them are long-lasting. Something about entering a relationship with some high predisposition that only ever spells failure. Like imagine constantly getting into arguments and then thinking _‘no wait, we’re supposed to be perfect for each other why is this happening?’_ ”  
  
“Maybe people should stop thinking like that.” He responds then, his eyes attracted to something happening outside of the window; but his distraction not deterring his words.

“I think it’s cause people forget that your soulmate is just a person, and no one is perfect. The universe matched you together for a reason but it doesn't have to be endgame.” He continues.   
  
“You’re just saying that cause your parents have a platonic bond. You’re talking about it from that standpoint.” Jughead cuts in swiftly.  
  
“The universe just swoops in one day and decides _‘hey, you got a good thing going here, but i'm gonna match you with this person and you’ll never know if its a romantic long time thing or only for a short period of time’_ Do you not know how shitty that sounds? Especially for people who don't have them?”  
  
“Ms.Grundy met her soulmate and he died not a year later from a heart-attack. Some people never even meet their soulmates.” Betty continues from Jughead’s comment easily enough, but she seems slightly sad.  
  
“Like, having one doesn't mean you are going to meet them Archie. We just don't want you to think that you’ll wake up tomorrow and meet your soulmate.”

 

It wasn't a shock that he didn't meet his soulmate the next day either, but he did come a little close.  
  
Archibald Andrews was eighteen years old, a Senior in Riverdale-High and captain of the football team when he stumbled across one Veronica Lodge. He’d convinced himself that this raven-haired goddess would definitely speak the words that were engraved into his skin and she’d smiled and called him _‘Archikins’._

 

He’d known then, that he would have a platonic soulbond with one Veronica Lodge. The girl who’d smiled sadly, but nodded in understanding at the way his face fell.

Platonic soulmates were always characterized by the fact that only one person had words and the other person simply said them. But it didn't make the feeling any less warm.  
  
His father had described the feeling as someone wrapping a blanket around him during winter; it was comforting and securing. And that was how Archie felt whenever Veronica was in the room or near him.  
  
Warmth.

  
He’d introduced Veronica as his soulmate and Jughead had spewed soda across the lunch table onto Kevin.  
  
“Thats fucking disgusting Jughead.” Kevin blurted out and Betty was torn between helping her friend wipe soda from his face and gaping at Archie.  
  
“Platonic.” He’d said then, without a hint of sadness. Jughead had noted then bitterly. He’d spend the first week of school hanging with Betty working on the Blue and Gold and seeing if there was any chance he could say her words or she could say his own.  
  
He’d read that soulmarks were a dangerous thing; but he wasn't sure if the danger was on a scale. On one hand, you could be like Archie and be so optimistic that the sadness slowly drains you from the inside out, or you could be like him and pine after someone and sulk in the middle of the night when they aren't your soulmate.  
  
He wasn't sure what was worse.  
  
“This is Ronn-Veronica.” Archie introduced Veronica who had smiled politely and taken a seat on one side of Archie while Betty occupied the other side.

* * *

 

He’d made it three months without having to be caught in the same space as Archie’s soulbond. That’s all he called her. But in his defense he hadn't really decided to talk to anyone for the longest time, especially when Betty’s own soulmark came into fruition and it turned out thats her and Archie also had a platonic soulbond.  
  
It was no secret that Betty had been pining after Archie for all these years; but Jughead wasn't sure if her being Archie’s platonic had renewed her vigor or snuffed it out. It seemed that she wasn't sure either.  
  
When it was just her and Archie (and himself) She was more relaxed and more open. There would be light touches between them and whispers. But whenever Veronica was involved it seemed Archie always favored her attention over Betty. Veronica didn't seem to purposely monopolize him, but she wasn't waving him off either.

  
On this particular night, Jughead escaped the confines of his bedroom to roam into Pops and watch pirated movies on his computer. He’d been woken up by a burning sensation on his shoulder and had been torn between actually reading what had materialized on his skin or simply burning it off.

He regretted reading the words, and was curious exactly what he'd made it through for his soulmate to say such a specific sentence. 

  
  
Betty had found him an hour after midnight, donning a pair of faded overalls and a tired look before dropping herself on the seat next to him and leaning her head onto his shoulder.  
  
“If you think this has a happy ending, you haven't been paying attention.” He says then. Knowing that she’ll hear his words and still push herself to tears as she talks about Archie and _Ronnie_.  
  
“You survived.” She says then, her hands fisting into the cloth at her legs before she chokes back a sob.  
  
Jughead finds himself hating the universe for the shit it constantly puts him through. For Betty getting a platonic soulbond with Archie who has a platonic soulbond with Veronica.  
  
And for giving him a platonic soulbond with Betty.  
  
“But i’m paying for it.” His voice is tired; hell, he feels tired.  Its as if every part of his being has been beaten within an inch of its becoming and suddenly its decided all at once that it doesnt want to function. The very essence of Jughead has been stomped and left on the curb; and honestly, he cant even pull himself to properly react.   
  
He sat there with betty for only a few more minutes before pausing his movie and jostling her awake.  
  
"Get some sleep. Talk to him in the morning. Tell him how you feel." He said as he walked her to her car, preparing to do the same.  
  
If he was her platonic soulbond, then wasn't he supposed to help make her life easier? Help through some things?  So that's what he did.

 

Veronica was making her way out of the Library when he saw her. She was carrying a stack of books in her arms and mumbling something under her breath when she finally took note of him standing before her locker.  
  
"Veronica."  
  
"Forsythe." She fires back equally as deadpan and irritated.  
  
"What are you here for, because it's obviously not to help me sort through notes."   
  
"Give them some time together." He says then, as if he was remarking on the simplest of things. Veronica raises a brow at his comment, but focuses her attention on unlocking her locker. Jughead huffs but grabs the door and holds it open as Veronica starts shoving Notebooks and folders into her locker.   
  
"Are you guys on some kind of frequency? She already stopped me this morning and we talked about it. I don't know whats with you all making me out to be some horrible bitch. Kevin stopped me about the same thing yesterday at lunch, but he was far nicer then you about it." She's shoving a calculus book into her bag when she blows a strand of hair out of her face and turns to look at him momentarily.  
  
"No way"-Immediately Veronica halts her movements then, her eyes widening slightly-"Arent you getting the shit end of the stick." She supplies then, jerking her bag onto her shoulder as he closes her locker.  
  
"How bad is it?"  
  
"About as bad as it is for Betty." She has to jog slightly to catch up to him, and even then his strides are far longer and more purposeful than her own are. The fact she's wearing heels and a pencil skirt do nothing to help her, but Veronica follows Jughead down the hallway and to his own locker.  
  
"So she doesn't know? You have to tell her. It goes both ways, and it might not be exactly what you want right now, but it might shift into it." He stops mid-step and turns around; causing Veronica to collide with his chest and stumble back akwardly, her face scrunched up from the sudden impact.  
  
"So you want me to just pine after her the way Archie is Pining after you? Just hope that the stars align and we can actually be together for a few blissful years till she moves on with her life or gets a soulmark? You really think thats the way to go?" His voice echos off the halls, and Veronica is reminded that she's in school and mostly likely going to get detention for missing math.  
  
"First of all, stop yelling, second of all no ones saying force a romance. Thats not what platonic soulmarks are about. And even if it was, Archies parents are doing perfectly fine, whats to stop the same thing from happening for you guys?"  
  
"The fact she's in love with Archie."   
  
"Its not like she doesn't know he isnt into her like that."  
  
"Because he's into you like that Veronica." he bites out. Veronica looks at him in complete shock before bursting into laughter. Jughead squashes the urge to yell and thinks he's better off just walking away from Veronica.   
  
"It's not on that Level, Relax. It probably never will be." She calls after him before huffing and making her way toward her math class.

 

 

* * *

 

 Veronica had to take expert care when it came to her emotions. There were times when she couldn't properly swallow the anger that she would politely excuse herself from class and go to the bathroom to fight against it. Her father always told her that anger was a stupid emotion that ruled stupid people. So she'd bite her tongue till it'd bleed; her back and arms tense as she attempted to ground herself.  
  
This worked with most anger, but there were still somethings that caused a reaction from the renowned Ice Queen.  
  
Today, for example, seemed to be a continuous shit show that felt the need to test her at every moment and Veronica was honestly hanging by such a thin thread she was surprised she didn't pummel Archie into the table at Pops when he placed his hand at the back of her neck. But it calmed her. Just like he knew it would.   
  
He knew better than to ask her what was wrong; especially because Veronica more often than not really had no idea what set her off. She was never really good with her feelings; maybe this is why the universe decided to pair her with a boy that felt everything.   
  
Despite his hand at her neck, Archie was busy with taking notes from this history book that was set before him. Betty was Seated across from them; a pencil between her teeth as she went over Veronica's Paper from English. The tension between them had dissipated fairly easily to the point that the three of them could spend time without many issues.   
  
Betty's feet were on Archie's Lap, her sneakers resting more so on the vinyl of the booth seat then Archies jeans, but she claimed the contact helped her to focus. Jughead was sitting next to Betty, his attention jumping between something on his computer screen at the book before him when he shifted his eyes to Veronica and pinned her with a questioning glance.  


"Did you say something?" she asked then, moving her hands to rub at her eyes before stopping the movement when she remembered she was wearing eyeliner.  
  
"I asked you if you were going to finish the fries." he motioned to the basket before her with a jerk of his chin. Pursing her lips in thought, Veronica shook her head and pushed the basket closer toward him.  
  
"Watch out Juggy, I gotta go to the bathroom." Huffing, Jughead leaned back into the plush of the seat as Betty stood up in the booth and Stepped over him. Veronica regarded Jughead with a knowing smile just as he turned to watch Betty.  
  
"Oh the way the knife loves the heart." Suddenly he felt time stop and it was if he was standing outside of the booth looking in. Veronica had said the words so simply her attention fully on him before she shifted it back to the math book before her. So unaware of the weight she'd just settled on his shoulders and the blood that most likely drained from his face. He swallowed thickly then.  
  
"Our souls are going to fall apart any moment now." He says, and he can see hers though, and the complete and utter heartbreak that paints itself across her features when he replies. undoubtedly saying the words that were etched into her own skin. 

 

**Author's Note:**

> So, im not sure if i wanna continue this in indepth and hint at a Poly relationship between archie, betty and veronica but i think the way i did it was pretty safe. idk if i'll ever write more continuing from this exact verse, but i put it in my archieverse story because thats where all my stories take place.
> 
> A mix of riverdale and Archie comics. LMK if you want to see more soulmark/soulmate things with this pairing. i might still write drabbles and whatnot.


End file.
